The Best Instagram Photos Spots in Menton

Menton is the cutest little town in South of France. Located on the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea close to the Italian border, Menton is called “The Pearl of France” for a good reason: this city is very beautiful and gifted with a fantastic climate! It’s a must-see in the French Riviera! If you are visiting Menton, you will probably look for the best places to take photos in town. To facilitate the task, I have gathered here for you the list of the Best Instagram Photos Spots in Menton. You will fall in love with every corner of this city! So, without any further ado, enjoy the Most Instagrammable Places of Menton!

The Pretty Streets in the Old Town

Menton has a pretty medieval Old Town with cobbled streets and typical houses painted with ochre colors and ornate with pale green louvred shutters. Not only you will love to wander here, but they make great Instagram photo spots in Menton!

You have the option to walk around and find your favorite corners by yourself: the Old Town is not big, and it will be a nice way to discover the city! Or you can go to some of my recommended streets below: I added the glocalization info to help you save some time!

Staircase street with orange houses

This sloping street is very picturesque with its ochre houses and vintage lamp. And the painting gallery located here is adding a lovely touch!

Location: look for the painting gallery (Galerie de peinture in French) of Said Berkane in 13 rue de la Conception in Menton.

Little street with lemon houses

I found this street randomly as I was walking in the Old Town and I loved that it was very narrow and looked like a dead end. As you walk there, you will literally be surrounded by buildings as yellow as lemons!

Location: look for Traverse de rue de Bréa (that’s the name of this tiny street) – coordinates: 43.776225, 7.507102

My secret tip: did you know that Menton is famous for its lemons? There is even a dedicated Lemon Festival organized in the city each year in during 3 weeks from February to March. A great moment to visit it 🙂 .

Basilique Saint-Michel Archange

The Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel of Menton is a beautiful site! This 17th century catholic church is decorated with a baroque style typical of the region and offers a photogenic façade. Moreover, the small church right close to this basilica – named Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs – is very pretty as well! Therefore, it’s another recommended place for the best Instagram Photos spots in Menton!

Location: Place de l’Église in Menton.

The staircase Rampe Saint Michel

A majestic series of stairs is cascading from the Saint-Michel Archangel Basilica to the beach – called Rampe Saint Michel. This stunning double flight staircase is one of the best Instagram Photos spots in Menton! That’s why I was so sad to see that they were being renovated when I visited in July 2020 🙁 . The construction should be over by the time you read this article so you should be able to take some stunning shots here (Photo by Angie Thelovelyescapist).

Location: Rampe Saint-Michel in Menton.

Place Fontana

Place Fontana is an historical square of Menton. It used to be the port of the Old Town of Menton but after an earthquake at the end of the 19^th century, the port disappeared, and this square was created at the same place.

Today it’s filled with beautiful ochre color buildings so typical from the French Riviera. Charming isn’t it?! That’s why I have added it to my list of the Best Instagram Photos Spots in Menton!

Location: Place Fontana in Menton.

Promenade de la Mer

Promenade de la Mer is one of the best places to stroll in Menton. As you are walking on this dike you can admire the Mediterranean Sea on one side and the colorful buildings of the Old Town on the other side: a great reason why it’s one of the Best Instagram Photos Spots in Menton!

My secret tips: this promenade is also offering many cafes and restaurants in case you want to take a break in your exploration 🙂 . And if you like walking there, you can continue on Promenade du Soleil on the other side of the Old Port of Menton.

Location: Promenade de la Mer in Menton.

The Beach

Menton features a few beautiful beaches, so why not take the opportunity while you are there to take a few photos? You will probably want to stay close to the Old Town and benefit from its colors in your background, therefore I recommend you go to the beach named Plage des Sablettes. Located on the east side of the old port, this beach is rather calm and sheltered with a mixture of sand, pebbles and gravel. This beach is one the fantastic Instagram Photos Spots in Menton!

Location: Plage des Sablettes in Menton.

Quai Impératrice Eugenie

Last but not least, head to Quai Impératrice Eugenie to find some amazing Instagram photos Spots in Menton. From here you will get the most magnificent views of the coastline of Menton with its myriad of colors!

The jetty Quai Impératrice Eugénie

You have two options to take photos from Quai Impératrice Eugénie. The first one is to take your photos from the jetty perpendicular to the city. It’s very picturesque!

The rocks Quai Impératrice Eugénie

The second option to take picture from Quai Impératrice Eugénie, if you are a bit more adventurous, is to go directly on the rocks and capture the view facing the city. This place is highly instagrammable as you can see!

My secret tip: stay there until sunset to see the sky taking the prettiest colors and the city lighting up little by little and admire its reflection in the water!

What to do in Menton

Now that you know all the best Instagram Photos Spots in Menton, let’s see what else you can do in Menton!

• Get lost in the beautiful Old Town (you probably want to do this since I mentioned the old Town earlier).
• Enjoy the beach, this is a must!
• Walk in the beautiful Maria Serena Villa and its lush garden full of tropical plants nicknamed “Little Africa”.
• Stroll in the Fontana Rosa Valencian garden.
• Visit the Bastion, this fortress built in the 17^th century decorated by Jean Cocteau is now a museum. Jean Cocteau a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic and he liked Menton a lot! Therefore, you will see a few places dedicated to him in this city.
• Admire more of the work of Jean Cocteau in an iconic museum Musée Cocteau – Collection Séverin Wunderman designed by the renowned architect Rudy Ricciotti.
• Go to the Casino.
• Visit the Citrus Garden of the Palais Carnolès: this 2-hectare garden features a collection of 137 varieties of citrus, including 24 sweet orange, sour orange and lemon trees.
• Watch the sunset from Quai de l’Impératrice Eugénie.

Where to eat in Menton

Here are some restaurants you can try when you are visiting Menton:

• Côté Sud: this Mediterranean restaurant serves amazing pizzas amongst other dishes. It opens late in the evening, a good point if you want to see the sunset in Menton in summer and have dinner after. I ate there when I visited Menton (see pictures above) and I recommend it! Address: 15 Quai Bonaparte in Menton.
• Le Petit Port: this cozy Mediterranean restaurant serves fresh products and have a nice terrace that you can enjoy. Address: 4 rue du Jonquier in Menton.
• Léone: this cute Italian restaurant serves a cuisine from Puglia and is located close to the beach. Address: 13 Square Victoria in Menton.
• Si Menton Savait: this welcoming restaurant offers a fresh cuisine with good value for money. Address: 2 Rue du Vieux Collège in Menton.
• Le Mirazur: this gastronomic restaurant rated with three stars by the Michelin Guide is run by Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco. It was voted the best restaurant in the world in the Restaurant Top 50 in 2019, therefore you might want to try it! Make sure to book in advance though 🙂 . Address: 30 Avenue Aristide Briand in Menton.

I fell in love with Menton at first sight and I am sure you will too! Now you know all the Best Instagram Photos Spots, what to do and where to eat in Menton. But if you have more questions, please ask me in the comments or by email!

Take a look at my complete article about the French Riviera to get more recommendations about this beautiful area in France: 10 days in the French Riviera, your road trip itinerary.  

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